My earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,522,673 and 4,889,748 relate to particular methods and devices for displaying postage stamps and are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference regarding specific embodiments for producing the products of the present invention.
Known music boxes are mechanical or electro-mechanical. The mechanical music box includes a spring-wound motor that turns a rotor provided rotor lugs which sequentially engage radially disposed pins that audibly vibrate upon rotation of the rotor. The lugs are positioned on the rotor in a tune reproducing order thereby reproducing a melody upon complete rotation of the rotor.
Known electro-mechanical music reproduction structures include electronic circuitry electrically connected to a speaker and power supply for reproducing any desired tune. Both the mechanical and electro-mechanical music reproduction mechanisms include a mechanical activator to start and stop the operation of the respective mechanism for reproducing the desired music. The music mechanisms are respectfully activated and deactivated by either moving or removing a cover from the container holding the music reproduction mechanism or through operation of a switch mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,478 relates to a music box in combination with animated figures whereby the device produces sounds wherein the figures, sounds and music are interrelated.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,484,895,; 2,484,896; and 2,570,976 relate to musical books or educational toy books wherein music reproducing means plays tunes of nursery rhymes which relate generally to the story or theme of the particular book having the music, words and/or various illustrations for the subject matter such as nursery rhymes disposed on the book cover or various pages of the book. U.S. Pat. No. 2,279,182 discloses an ornamental tree representing a decorated Christmas tree and attached to a rotatable cylinder which produces music such as Christmas carols. U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,067 discloses a combined greeting card and decorative music box.
Postage stamps and art work incorporating postage stamps are appreciated by the postal patron as well as by collectors of philatelic devices. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,522,673; 4,083,137 and 4,889,748 disclose various types of mechanisms for mounting postage stamps in overlaying, transparent material for viewing within a philatelic display.